Shreveport Teen Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter

A Shreveport man charged with participation in a 2020 murder and robbery pleaded guilty in Caddo District Court to manslaughter and robbery Monday, March 20, 2023, and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Javonpe Deandre Winbush, 18, was sentenced to 35 years at hard labor for his part in the slaying, and to 35 years for the robbery, with the first 25 years to be served without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. The sentences are to run concurrently, for a total of 35 years.

The case of Winbush, who was 16 at the time of the slaying, was transferred to Caddo District Court after a continued custody hearing in Caddo Juvenile Court.

Had he not taken the plea arrangement, Winbush faced a mandatory life prison term had he been convicted as charged of second-degree murder, with the proviso of eligibility for parole after 25 years due to his being a juvenile at the time of the commission of the crime.

The plea arrangement was agreed to by the mother of the victim, 26-year-old Joshua Roshell.

Winbush has two separately indicted co-defendants who face trial in Caddo District Court.

The victim Joshua Roshell, 26, was contacted by phone in September 2020 and offered a chance to buy marijuana. Mr. Roshell met Winbush and his co-defendants at a vacant house in the 1800 block of Doris Street. The three men forced Mr. Roshell out of his car and robbed him at gunpoint. One of the co-defendants removed his hoodie, revealing his face to the victim. The three assailants then shot Mr. Roshell once in the head, then left the murder scene in Mr. Roshell's car, which later was found abandoned on Slattery Boulevard. Mr. Roshell's body was discovered September 24, 2020.

Winbush incriminated a "Ray Ray" who was not arrested due to a lack of corroborating evidence. A co-defendant who claimed he was not present during the robbery and slaying but rode with Winbush later in the victim's car, claimed Winbush admitted to him that he had shot Mr. Roshell.

Winbush was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Kodie Smith and Bill Edwards. He was defended by Katie Ferguson and Royal Alexander.